physical examination books

[yanon]

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I learned most of my physical examination skills from reading and watching the Bates' Physical Diagnosis Book & DVD. After completing three clinical rotations (two family med. rotations and one internal med. outpatient rotations), I must admit that my physical examination skills are below average and my soap notes are horrific. Unless my patients' symptoms are very pronounce, I might not detect the abnormalities through general physical examination. I am sick of being inadequate at physical examination. Thus, I am going to purchase a new physical examination book to improve my physical diagnosis skills.

After browsing through Amazon, I found four PE books--Swartz, DeGowin, Clinical Examination by Nicholas Talley, and Mosby's-- that are highly recommended. Which one of the four books do you recommend?

In regard to writing soap notes, I have two problems:
1) my preceptors always found things that they wanted to change in my soap notes; and occasionally, they also complained about my soap notes being too long.
2) I couldn't write soap notes on the fly when I was interviewing patients who have many concomitant diseases. Thus, I usually just scribbled things down on a separate notepad before writing a final soap note for those complicated cases.

Please recommend a book which teaches writing soap notes, progress notes, and other medical documentations in an efficient manner.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Substance]

Get the Talley one. It's great.

The Bates book is an expensive paperweight.

 

[hawkpilot]

I wanted to bump this question since I'm interested in the answer as well. We used Bates but I wanted something more in depth. I was going to purchase Swartz since many Amazon reviewers thought highly of it.

Comments?

 

[chrisisinnocent]

DeGowin's is pretty awesome.

 

[DragonWell]

DeGowin is a great book for quick reference. For actually learning about physical exam at a little more advanced level, I think Sapira is really a fantastic book.

Really, though it sounds like you need more of a "how to ace third year" book than just a PE book. I would highly recommend "The Answer Book: Saint-Frances Guide to the Clinical Clerkships". This book explains how to document and present patients and also how to tailor your physical exam to the needs of the particular situation.

 

[yanon]

Dragonwell. Did you psychoanalyzed my mind? I was searching for a book like the St. Frances' Guide to Clinical Clerkship because preceptors don't always have time to teach students how to do things. What about St. Frances' Guide to Inpatient Medicine or Guide to Outpatient Medicine? Are those two books necessary when I already have Ferri's Guide to Medical Patient? I am going to start my inpatient IM next month. Any good recommendation for me?

From what I read on Amazon, Sapira is a great book only after one has mastered DeGowin. So, I will just stick to something simpler for now because I am not really to become an old-school master physician

 

[vtucci]

I learned most of my physical examination skills from reading and watching the Bates' Physical Diagnosis Book & DVD. After completing three clinical rotations (two family med. rotations and one internal med. outpatient rotations), I must admit that my physical examination skills are below average and my soap notes are horrific. Unless my patients' symptoms are very pronounce, I might not detect the abnormalities through general physical examination. I am sick of being inadequate at physical examination. Thus, I am going to purchase a new physical examination book to improve my physical diagnosis skills.

After browsing through Amazon, I found four PE books--Swartz, DeGowin, Clinical Examination by Nicholas Talley, and Mosby's-- that are highly recommended. Which one of the four books do you recommend?

In regard to writing soap notes, I have two problems:
1) my preceptors always found things that they wanted to change in my soap notes; and occasionally, they also complained about my soap notes being too long.
2) I couldn't write soap notes on the fly when I was interviewing patients who have many concomitant diseases. Thus, I usually just scribbled things down on a separate notepad before writing a final soap note for those complicated cases.

Please recommend a book which teaches writing soap notes, progress notes, and other medical documentations in an efficient manner.

Thanks in advance.

Every preceptor will want your notes written in a different way. You need to find a system that works for you. Trying to please everyone is a sure fire way of driving yourself crazy. However, if you must, get copies of sample notes from the attendings and model yours after what they like. 🙂

I worry about attendings who criticize students for writing notes that are too long. As an attorney, let me be the first one to say that doctors rarely get into trouble by writing too much. As students, we should learn how to write the note completely and properly first before we find ways of shortcutting the system.

I had Mosby, Bates and am working my way through Sapira.

 

[Bike on a Trek]

.....I am sick of being inadequate at physical examination. Thus, I am going to purchase a new physical examination book to improve my physical diagnosis skills.....

A book won't help as much as practice with a "coach" (ie, an attending or even a fellow student or resident). However, The Rational Clinical Examination (just released this past Fall) will tell you what's worth practicing and what isn't. For an advanced approach, pair The Rational Clinical Examination up with your Bates or Degowin.